ranthambore fort & padam talao lake

Ranthambore Fort lies within the Ranthambore National Park, near the city of Sawai Madhopur in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, India. the park being the former hunting grounds of the Jat Maharajahs until the time of India’s Independence. It is a formidable fort having been a focal point of the historical developments of Rajasthan. The fort is believed to be constructed by the Chahamanas. In the 13th century the Delhi Sultanate captured it for a brief time. The fort provides a panoramic view of the surrounding Ranthambore National Park and is now a popular tourist attraction.

In 2013, at the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee, Ranthambore Fort, along with 5 other forts of Rajasthan, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the group Hill Forts of Rajasthan.[1]

History

It is widely believed that the construction of the Ranthambhore Fort was started during the reign of the Chauhan rajput King Sapaldaksha in 944 AD. Another theory stipulates that King Jayant, also a Chauhan rajput, built the Ranthambore Fort during 1110 AD. Abul Fazl said about it that “all other fortifications are bare, this one is armored.” The role of Rao Hammir Dev Chauhan is considered prominent in the construction of this fort.

Alauddin Khilji tried to capture the fort during 1300 AD but failed to do so. After three unsuccessful attempts, his army finally captured the Ranthambore Fort on 1 July 1301. After three centuries Akbar took over the fort and dissolved the Ranthambore kingdom in 1558. The fort remained in the possession of the Mughal rulers till the middle of the 18th century. The Maratha rulers were at their peak in the 18th century and to see them, the King of Jaipur, Sawai Madho Singh, requested the Mughals to hand over the fort to him. Sawai Madho Singh again developed the nearby village and fortified this fort and renamed this village as Sawai Madhopur.
Nearby attractions